A Step in Time
by searching-for-nemo
Summary: Interpretation of 3x21 and 3x22. Killian and Emma are forced to come to terms with their feelings for one another after a run-in with the infamous pirate Captain Hook. (Captain Swan.)
1. Chapter 1

Hi! This is the first fanfiction I've ever written, so reviews of any kind are extremely helpful :) Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer - I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of its characters.

Killian

Killian stood at the window, peering into the dim tavern. The stenches of trash and vomit permeated the alley, but he hardly noticed them. He knew he should leave, just _knew_ it, but…he couldn't. His eyes followed the slim figure of the young woman as she sauntered across the floor, long blonde hair flowing behind her.

He watched as Emma drew the attention of every man in the bloody place – including his own. It physically pained him to know that his past self was in there, and it ripped him apart even more to know that he couldn't be the one in there with her. The version of himself that was waiting in that bar was nothing like the man he wanted Emma to know.

_If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were jealous._ Her last words to him echoed through his mind. He realized that what she spoke was partially true. Certainly, he was jealous of Hook for being with Emma. Beneath that, though, he was upset and ashamed by his past. He was frightened by what Emma would discover about him throughout the night, and terrified of how she might treat him once it was over.

His past – the things he had stolen, the girls he had used, the people he had killed, and the people who were dead because of him – continued to haunt him. He couldn't let go of his demons, and it would only make it worse to know that Emma had seen him as he used to be. Killian had hoped and prayed that he would be able to redeem himself in her eyes and be seen as a man instead of a monster. He had changed, that much was certain. But…he knew that he hadn't changed enough to make up for the flaws in his past self, the flaws that Emma would soon be experiencing for herself.

Killian saw Emma approach Hook, bending over the table and leaning in close to his face. He noticed his past self lean in a little closer, smirking up at her and raising an eyebrow, enchanted. The old Hook stood up, and led Emma away to the back of the tavern by the hand, brushing his body up against hers.

Killian's fist clenched at his side. He was thoroughly ashamed at the man he had been. He knew that things between him and Emma would never be the same again, not now that she had seen who he used to be, the man he was afraid he might someday become again.

Hook began pouring Emma a drink. His lips were moving with words of endearment; if it wasn't clear from the look on his face that he was trying to seduce Emma, his fingertips brushing her leg under the table was certainly proof enough for Killian.

He had to leave. He had to find Snow. If he didn't, well…it wouldn't end well for either of them. But he couldn't bring himself to go, not when his past self was working so hard to seduce the woman he cared about, not when she was flirting right back.

Killian had dreamed about this far more than he would ever admit to. Emma smiling up at him, casual touches between the two of them, another kiss like the one they'd shared in Neverland. Anything she was willing to give him, he was desperate to have.

But now, looking at her sitting next to his past self, the cruel reality hit him. He watched himself interact with Emma as if through a mirror. The Hook in there was doing all of those things that Killian had wanted to do with Emma, but Hook couldn't appreciate what he had right in front of him (and not only because of the rum Emma kept pouring down his throat). Looking at himself with Emma, it was all too easy to imagine a future for himself with her, and all too painful of a reminder to know that he wasn't the one in there laughing and smiling with her. He was out here, in the cold rain, not allowed to come close to the woman he loved. And Hook…Hook was in there, with Emma, caressing her beautiful cheek and making her laugh, not truly appreciating what he had in front of him.

Killian wandered away, finally, down to the docks.

The entire time, images of his Swan with this other version of himself plagued his mind. He could see himself holding her, kissing her, touching her, but unlike his other fantasies, he was merely an observer of the embrace, not the one enacting it.

The firm weight of jealousy settled over him as he reached his ship. Why did it have to be like this? He had followed Emma to the ends of the earth, to the ends of time, and he still couldn't call her his own. In his past, he had used women to relieve his own pain at the loss of his Milah, but there was only one woman who mattered to him.

And right now, she was with another man.


	2. Chapter 2

**So...hello again :) Updates definitely aren't going to usually come this quickly, but working on this seemed quite a bit more appealing than homework, so here's chapter 2.**

**Disclaimer - Unfortunately, I do not own Once Upon a Time.**

Emma

"Got something on your mind there, lass?" the pirate across from her asked with a wink.

_This isn't Hook_, she reminded herself for what had to be the hundredth time. He had the same broad shoulders, the same strong arms, the same brilliant blue eyes, and she had to force herself to remember that this wasn't the Hook she knew.

"I was simply wondering where you got the hook. One hears so many stories, you know," she responded in a sultry tone, running her fingertip along the length of the cold piece of metal.

This wasn't _her_ Hook, but maybe that was a good thing. _Her_ Hook, her Killian, made her feel safer than she ever had before. It terrified her. She wouldn't be able to handle it if he left her like everybody else in her life had. She wouldn't be able to handle it if she acknowledged her own feelings for him either, because that would give him even more potential to hurt her.

It would mean admitting she cared about him – no, _loved_ him. And if she did that, well…then she'd have to leave him forever. Emma knew that there was no way she could handle another broken heart, not after Neal. She couldn't open herself up again. She was broken, and it would be impossible for him to love her back or even to help her find her way home.

But…the little voice in the back of her head piped up again. This _isn't_ Hook. She wouldn't be opening herself up to Hook, she would be showing affection to a man who resembled the man she loved. Besides, nobody back in Storybrooke would ever find out. This Hook would never be able to find her again; he would never be able to hurt her if she opened up to him. And it was what he expected, wasn't it? A drunken one night stand with the bar wench? The idea was sounding more and more appealing.

Emma tuned back into the conversation just as Hook was finishing his story with a flourish. Sometime during the story, they had moved dangerously close together. His leg was pressed up against hers, his breath smelling of rum on her face.

"Come, lass. My ship awaits, and I wish the presence of a lovely lady such as yourself to share the night with."

She panicked. Killian was on that ship; she couldn't let this version of Hook go back there, regardless of how tempting his offer seemed.

"Oh, come now, not until we've had at least a couple more drinks," she responded, her lips hovering over his ear.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to get me drunk. Which is usually my tactic." He looked over at her, and she stared deep into his alluring eyes, feeling the connection buzz between them. He poured two more glasses, not bothering to look away. His lips parted around the rim of the glass as he drank its contents, and Emma's heart gave a sputter.

She poured the rum over her shoulder, knowing that she had to keep a clear head if she wanted to avoid an unfortunate situation.

Soon after, Hook was struggling to stand up. "Lass, I'm going back to my ship. You can either join me or I'll find someone else who's willing to instead."

She couldn't let him get back to the ship, not without being certain that Killian, _her_ Hook, had left. His only request had been that she not let his past self reach the ship, and she couldn't let him down.

But she couldn't keep this Hook here a moment longer, and she couldn't bear to see him leave with someone else. She would just have to think of some other way to keep him distracted along the way.

She grabbed the hand Hook was offering her, and stood. "I do believe I'll take you up on that offer, Captain."

He led the way out the back door of the tavern, guiding her gently. It reminded her of her time back in Neverland, when Killi-_Hook_-would stand behind her in the forest, one hand on her back as he pushed her forward.

They exited the dark of the tavern and emerged into an alleyway lit only by starlight. The alley itself was putrid, but the light of the full moon shining on the Hook's face, lighting the contours of his face and putting a sparkle in his eyes, was powerful enough to overcome the state of the alley.

Perhaps there might be a way to keep him here after all.

She reached forward, wrapping her arms around his neck, and pulled herself flush against him.

"How about a taste of what's to come when we reach this ship of yours, Captain?" she murmured with a smile.

He responded immediately, his hands wrapping around her, pressing her in closer. His lips came down, alighting firmly on her own. He let out a groan, and she could taste the rum in his mouth.

He pulled away from their kiss abruptly. Strong arms lifted her up and held her against his chest. She knew in her head that this Hook did not truly care for her. He only wanted a bit of drunken fun; his emotions weren't tied in a knot at the thrill of holding her.

But in her heart, she couldn't deny the feelings she had for Killian. She closed her eyes and pictured _her_ captain there, cradling her, and she felt secure. They were _his_ arms, and she was against _his_ chest, and he would never leave her.

A cursing sailor startled her out of her reverie. They were at the docks. Hook had carried her all the way to the docks, the one place she was supposed to keep him away from. She had failed Killian.

Frantic, she searched the dock for some distraction, any distraction. Out of the corner of her eye, Emma noticed a cloaked figure hidden by the shadows of the largest boat there.

It had to be Killian. He had gotten away from the ship, but she knew she would have to provide some distraction in order for him to escape truly undetected.

And judging by Hook's single-minded determination to bring her back to the Jolly Roger, she had a pretty good idea of what might work.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks to everybody who's reviewed, the things you've said have really brightened my day :) Alaina, I do intend to keep writing this -I have an outline for about 12ish chapters right now which will follow Hook and Emma's relationship (not necessarily the plot of OUAT itself) from the Captain Hook scene in 3x21 through the diner scene in 3x22.**

**Disclaimer - I do not own any aspect of Once Upon a Time.**

Killian

Killian said one last, final goodbye to his ship. It had been his home for so long, and he knew that it was the one thing he would not return to once he left the Enchanted Forest. He said farewell to the markings he had made for Baelfire, the place where he had last held Milah, and the seats below deck where he had fallen even more deeply in love with Emma Swan.

He froze as he heard a giggle coming from above decks.

"Give me one moment, lass, and then I'll be back to continue where we left off."

No. This wasn't possible. Emma didn't giggle; it had taken him weeks to earn even a smile from her. But this version of himself, this bloody pirate who cared for no one, brought her laughter in a few short hours. She sounded happy with him in a way that she never had been with Killian.

Having his heart ripped out by Rumpelstiltskin all those years ago would have hurt less.

A thud sounded on the floor behind him. He drew out his sword and came face to face with…"Emma?"

"Hook? What are you doing here? You were supposed to be gone!"

"I'm not leaving you alone with him," he stated firmly. "And you weren't supposed to bring him back to my ship. You should have left him behind at the tavern, love." If only she knew just how much he meant the word "love"…

"I appreciate this and all, but you can't afford to be caught by anyone. You should be thanking me for not doing that, by the way – if I hadn't come, he would have found somebody else, somebody who wouldn't have bought you the few extra minutes in the alley. I can distract him again now, but you have to get out of here, Hook."

Killian forced himself to ignore her words. He knew his past self, and any 'distractions' in the alley couldn't have been pleasant for Emma. She usually couldn't stand to be around him, and being around his past self could only have been worse.

He heard footsteps coming down the ladder, and he quickly jumped to hide behind a bookshelf. There were perks to knowing every inch of this ship. Unfortunately, the man he had to be wary of knew the Jolly Roger just as well as he did.

"Hello there, lovely. Having second thoughts?"

Killian struggled to calm himself down as he peered through a hole in the bookshelf to see Emma looking deep into this other Hook's eyes, her arms twined around his neck.

"Of course not. I just got…tired of waiting." Emma's response came in a low voice that send shivers straight to Killian's spine. He had never heard her like this, and he had to mentally remind himself that this voice wasn't for him. It wasn't for him at all.

Killian watched as Hook reached down to hold Emma by the waist. His lips came down quickly, parting Emma's lips passionately. He could only watch in silence as his past self ran his fingertips across Emma's waist, continuing to kiss her deeply. Hook's hand began toying with the straps on her dress as he used his hook to roughly pull Emma closer to his body.

Killian almost let out a protest as he heard Emma's gasp, but he realized that he had no right to talk. Emma was sacrificing herself, forcing herself to accept the affection of a man she couldn't stand, in order to give him a chance to escape. But he couldn't shake this vision of Emma Swan _kissing_ him. It would stick with him forever, he knew.

He could only watch as Hook kissed Emma – and as Emma kissed him back. Killian had never before been given a reason to feel truly jealous. Never before had anyone else dared to touch any of the women he had laid claim on.

But now he felt a burning sensation in his heart. The anger that came with watching Emma kissing another man was overwhelming, but it still wasn't as painful as the sorrow that accompanied it. For the first time, he felt as if he had lost Emma forever, even though he never actually had her.

As if hearing his thoughts about her, Emma looked up at him, pointedly glaring at the door. She wanted him gone; she wanted to stop being forced to kiss _him_.

He had never been given a reason to believe she might never love him before.

And the realization that he had just witnessed one hurt worse than any injury he'd ever been dealt.

He slid across the floor, drawing closer into himself with every step towards the ladder until he heard his voice coming from a few steps away.

"Apologies…a woman as beautiful as you deserves my full and prompt attention…"

Killian spun around faster than he thought possible, a blind rage overtaking him. First Hook had kissed Emma and thought nothing of it, but now…it was too much. He took a step forward, throwing a punch powerful enough to send a man twice his size sprawling. Emma turned around and ran above deck, unwilling to even meet Killian's gaze.

He felt a grim sense of satisfaction as he looked down again at Hook's unconscious body on the ground. His actions certainly wouldn't help win Emma over or convince her that he had changed, but he had rescued her from being forced into kissing Hook (and saved himself from watching it in the process). It had clearly repulsed her; she had had to drink all that rum to even consider it, and even drunk, she still wanted nothing more than to get away.

Killian followed Emma above deck, sparing one last glare for the body lying prone on the floor behind him.

He swore to himself that never again would he allow this…monster that he used to be, this version who was quick to kill and used women for his own selfish pleasure, to reappear in front of the woman he loved.

He would protect Emma from this version of his past and prevent himself from reverting back to those ways.

Even if it was the last thing he did.


	4. Chapter 4

**Here's a short update :) Just a heads up, it does contain plot divergence, and the next few chapters will probably have some as well, albeit not quite as much. **

**Enjoy!**

Emma

She heard Hook approach from behind her.

"You sure you're all right there, Swan?" he asked for what must have been the hundredth time. She could almost convince herself that he actually cared and wasn't simply making polite conversation. Above all else, he was a pirate, and as soon as he found anything else that caught his eye, he would be gone.

"Yeah, I'm sure." Her answer had been about the same every time he had asked; she couldn't bear to tell him the truth. She wasn't okay.

She had thought that she would be able to let the idea of kissing him out of her head after her time with Hook earlier, but the reality had been the opposite. Thoughts of his lips on hers, of his arms wrapped around her, plagued her every thought. Kissing Hook had been a mistake. It had made her realize everything she could have if she were to open up to him – and everything she would lose once he inevitably left.

"Look at me, Swan. _Please_." His voice was pleading, begging, but…she couldn't. She couldn't bear to look at him right now, not when she had kissed those lips earlier, and especially not since she still wanted to. Getting lost in his warm blue eyes caused her to forget everything on her mind, a luxury she certainly didn't have right now.

Warm fingers pressed up against her cheek, bringing her face around right in front of his. She felt the heat of his gaze as his eyes seemed to peer right into her soul. _This_ was why she hadn't been able to meet his eyes earlier.

"Let me in, Emma. Don't block me out anymore. Just because I don't have the inherent ability to tell when people are lying doesn't mean I believe you when you say you're okay. You don't have to be strong for me, Swan. I'm so sorry that you had to go through that earlier, but please, _please_ don't avoid me like this. We need each other if we ever want to return to Storybrooke, to Henry. Bear me for at least that long, for your boy?"

"Okay," she said quietly, barely audible over the trickle of the stream behind them.

She was relieved. Hook hadn't seen the bit of her heart that was fluttering around him. He hadn't noticed what his kiss had done to her – or what it had undone inside of her.

The walls she had built up against her emotions, against the people around her, had been penetrated by his kiss. When she hadn't been looking, somehow he had snuck up behind her and crept into her heart.

"Swan, I promise you, I will not leave you alone. I know you don't trust the word of a pirate, but I will not let you deal with this on your own."

Her breath caught at his words. His eyes were as bright as the stars shining behind him, and she was close enough to feel the warmth radiating off of him. She closed her eyes, gently leaned forward, and –

"Why hello there, dearies! He he he!"

She shot back with a gasp, realizing fully what she had been about to do. _You idiot_, the voice in her head whispered. _You complete and utter fool. Did you really believe that he meant what he said about not leaving you? He only wants you to open up to him, and as soon as you do, he'll be no more than a painful memory. You aren't worthy of love. Your parents abandoned you, your friends abandoned you, even Neal abandoned you. Nothing makes Hook any different from any of them; he's just biding his time before he breaks your heart. _

She shoved her emotions down, concealing her thoughts, and turned around to deal with Rumpelstiltskin.

**Feel free to review; let me know what you think so far - what could be improved, what you like/don't like, etc.**


	5. Chapter 5

**In honor of being snowed in today, I have an update! Thank you all so much for the lovely reviews, they're really inspiring me to keep this going :) **

**Disclaimer - I still do not own Once Upon a Time, and (unfortunately) I highly doubt that I ever will.**

Killian

He had been so angry at Rumpelstiltskin before. It wasn't because he had tried to kill him; Killian knew he deserved it for what he had done. As much as he hated to admit it, he had been prepared for Rumpelstiltskin to pull a trick like that as soon as Emma had suggested going to visit him.

No, he was upset because he had been certain that Emma Swan was going to kiss him before the crocodile came.

_Her fierce green eyes softened as they looked at him. He watched her face open up, revealing the vulnerability that lay beneath her tough exterior. Her eyes darted down to his lips. Eyelids closing, she tilted her face up to his and began leaning closer –_

Then Rumpelstiltskin had arrived.

The entire time he had been held aloft by his neck, all Killian could think about was his promise to Emma that he wouldn't leave her behind. He had been prepared to die for her sake, to give her a better shot at returning home, even though he knew she would never forgive him if he did. There had been so many people in her life who had abandoned her, and he desperately hoped that he wouldn't become one of them – even if the only way he could ever abandon her was death.

There was no other force in heaven or hell that could separate him from her. A braver man would have let her come by herself to this world and trusted in her ability to return to him. A stronger man would never have allowed her into any sort of danger. A better man would have realized that she was worth so much more than anything he had to give, and he would have let her go. Baelfire certainly had.

It was a good thing that Killian was none of these things, then, he thought with a smirk. He was a pirate at heart and he always would be. He was too selfish to ever consider letting this girl, this woman, slip through his fingers. She was his treasure, the only one that truly mattered to him. The map that led to her heart might be an intricate puzzle full of dead ends and steep turns, but he was a hell of a captain, and he wouldn't rest until she had chosen him.

But now…looking at her, all of that was forgotten. She was enchanting.

He watched contentedly as she twirled in her dress. Her happiness was contagious. If this was what the prospect of a ball in a faraway land did for her, he'd have to consider attending more of them.

Emma had a _smile_ on her face, one that took his breath away, and her rosy cheeks matched the bright red of her dress. She was allowing him a window into her past, a small glimpse of the girl she once was and the woman she might have become if she hadn't been sent away as a lass.

She had once confided to him that every little girl in her foster system had dreamed of secretly being a princess. This moment would allow her to see that she truly was a princess; it was no longer just the wish of a desperate child. It was her reality now, her life.

Killian thought she pulled it off rather well.

Her hair was swept back, golden tendrils draping her face. He could have sworn they were calling out to him, and he fought the urge to tuck them behind her ear. Her eyes were sparkling in the night, brighter than any star he had ever encountered. The dress flowed around her as if it had been made for her, hugging her body in all the right places. She was, in a word, stunning.

She looked like the princess she was born to be, the queen she was meant to someday become.

Killian thought back to the dances and parties he had attended in his life of long ago. Liam had always dragged him along, and he had always hated it. His brother had been convinced that his true love was out there, waiting for him at one of these balls. Liam had always believed in the power of true love, but Killian had stubbornly refused to. He had refused to enjoy himself at any of the dances, refused to believe that there was a woman whom he could love more than his life at sea.

He realized that although Liam had been too late to find his own true love, his belief had given Killian the opportunity to find his own. He had found the woman who calmed him more than the wind at sea, the girl who excited him more than the crashing waves in a storm. He had discovered the princess for whom he would give up his entire life just to see her smile.

And now he had been given the chance to dance with her and fulfill his brother's wish for the both of them.

He wanted nothing more than to sweep her off her feet and give her the fairy tale ending she deserved.

Regina's words echoed through his head. _You're a villain, and villains don't get happy endings, Captain Hook_. Perhaps villains didn't get their happy endings, but heroes and princes certainly had the opportunity.

And right now, he _was_ her prince, and he would gladly be her hero as well - if she would only give him the chance.


	6. Chapter 6

Killian

She was waiting expectantly at the entrance to the castle for him.

He held out his arm, grateful when she took it without protest. Her hand rested on the crook of his elbow, and his heart sped up when she tightened her grip on him.

"Shall we?" he asked with a grin. She smiled back at him timidly.

The shyness of her gaze just about broke her heart. Emma was terrified, he could tell. Her movements were jerky, and the fear in her eyes was tangible. He leaned in closer, his lips brushing against her hair, and whispered, "It'll be fine, love. I swear it on my honor. She will get the ring, and your mother and your father will get together. And even if they don't tonight, true love always finds a way. They just need a little push in the right direction."

He hoped she realized the double meaning in his words.

He wanted to be the little push to her, the push that would show her the depth of his true feelings. He loved her. He _loved_ Emma Swan, and he would do anything for her.

She was it for him. She was his true love.

And, he prayed, if Snow and Charming's love was powerful enough for them to find each other in an alternate version of history, perhaps his affection for Emma would be deep enough to offer them their own happy ending.

"You know, when I was a teenager and hoping to be asked to the prom, I never imagined I'd be going to my first dance with _Captain Hook_," she giggled nervously. "In fact, I never would have even imagined Captain Hook ever even _going _to a dance."

"Ah, love. It seems there may still be a few things you didn't know about me. And here I thought you'd figured me all out. I must say, I'm a bit disappointed."

"There's still time for that. And as 'devilishly handsome' as you are, I don't think it'll take all that long to manage."

She had both mocked his accent and insulted his ego in a single sentence. Yet…he couldn't get the words out of his head. Emma Swan had called him handsome.

Her imitation of his accent was adorable. Completely wrong, but bloody adorable. He found himself wondering what it would take to get her to do it again.

Killian continued the banter, but his heart wasn't in it. It was set on his companion, the breathtaking princess that he had the pleasure of escorting.

He had noticed her relaxing slightly during their walk, but he suddenly felt her tense up again as they had reached the grand entrance to the castle.

His whole body froze up. He put his arm around her, gently pulling her closer against his side. She was shaking. He whispered, "I know, Swan. I know. But you are strong; I know that you can get through this, and everything will be okay. I'm right here."

They had reached the front of the line, and it was their turn to be announced.

"And you are…?" the king inquired.

_Dammit_, Killian thought. _Dammit, dammit, dammit_. He had thought he had come up with everything, but he obviously hadn't. Using their real names would only make them more conspicuous, and he couldn't think with Emma's intoxicating scent drifting his way. They would not make it out of this unless he could come up with something believable. He racked his brains, trying to come up with two decent, inconspicuous names. "I am…Prince…uh…Prince…"

"Prince Charles. And Princess…Leia."

Emma had come to the rescue. She gave a little curtsy, and they rushed off into the crowd together. She had been so terrified, yet she had saved both of them from discovery.

"Thanks, I…might have frozen up a bit back there," Killian told her.

"Don't worry about it. When I go home, I'll always have the story of how I saved the most fearsome pirate in the world from a case of stage fright. Either way, everybody at home is always talking about this ball and that ball. What's the big deal about these things?"

The ball was truly a wonder to behold. Couples were gracefully spinning around the hall, and there were platters of food at every corner. The guests wore elaborate costumes; dresses with beading and embroidery, headdresses made with the feathers of the rarest bird specimens, and men with the newest fashion of coat.

But the only thing in this room which truly captured his attention was the princess standing next to him. He noted the change in her face the instant she realized "what the big deal was" – even though he had never managed to see the point in them before, he had always admired them. At this ball, however, things had changed. He had an important mission to complete, one which could change the path of Storybrooke's entire history, but the only thing he wanted to do was to spend the evening with the woman he loved in his arms.

Her eyes widened, enraptured by the scene in front of her. Her grip tightened even more on his arm, and she pulled him closer in excitement – and terror. She clearly wanted to join in, but something was preventing her from doing so.

There was only one thing to do in a situation like this.

"Princess…May I have this dance?" he inquired with a bow.

"I don't know. I've never even been to a school dance before, and I've never done anything like this. I want to, but I'll make a fool of myself, and it'll only screw up the past even more when they realize I'm no good at dancing. You don't want to dance with me, I'm terrible at it." She looked sad and lost, and it just about broke his heart.

"Actually, I'm quite sure that I do wish to dance with you," he responded with a smile. "Let's blend in."

"Are you saying you actually know how to do…whatever this is?"

For the first time in his entire life, Killian gave silent thanks for all of the balls he had attended. Liam had given him this one final gift, years after his passing. He had been the reason Killian possessed the ability to dance, and because of his brother's forethought, Killian was able to respond. "Yes. It's called a waltz, and there's only one rule."

"And what might that be? 'Don't look like a fool and step on your partner's toes?'"

"Swan, I may regret this later, but you are entirely welcome to step on my toes anytime you like if it will make you feel that you can do this. You've already hit me over the head hard enough to knock me out and left me for dead with a giant. What makes this any different?" He paused a moment, leaning in closer. "Besides, the only rule is to pick a partner who knows what he's doing. You, love, are the luckiest one here tonight. I have hundreds of years of experience."

"I should have known tonight would leave you with a bloated ego," Emma responded. She looked slightly more at ease than before, but still a little tentative.

At long last, she took hold of his arm – and his heart – and together, they waltzed out onto the dance floor.


	7. Chapter 7

Emma

"You did it, Swan."

"_We_ did it," she corrected him.

Snow had escaped, and if Emma wasn't mistaken, her father had found her and was following her. He had left the dance over an hour ago to retrieve Abigail's shoes from her room, and there had been no sign of him since. Snow might not have had the ring, but Charming didn't know that; he would follow her anyway.

And when they met…history would be repeated. They would have the chance to fall in love again, and events would play out exactly the same as they had before.

Emma gave silent thanks that she hadn't doomed all of the people she loved because of her thoughtless actions. She had been tense all night, terrified that she might have ruined everything when Snow fell out of the tree. Now, she was able to hope that everything would be okay. She and Hook weren't able to leave yet - the ball had only just started, and it would be far too conspicuous – but once they had, they would be able to return to Henry and the rest of Storybrooke.

Emma inwardly groaned at the thought that they would once again be indebted to Rumpelstiltskin for his help. He had been the reason they had been able to come to the ball, the reason she still had hope in the power of true love to keep the past intact. Hopefully, if the night continued smoothly, he would also be the reason she and Hook were able to escape from the Enchanted Forest.

_The Savior can't come this far and not play princess for a day._

His words echoed through Emma's mind. She smiled at the irony; this had been the first time since it had been revealed she was royalty that she _hadn't _felt as if she were only pretending to be a princess. She was wearing a dress straight out of a fairy tale, and she felt a hint of belonging for one of the first times in her life.

Perhaps she could allow herself one day as a princess after all.

For the first time that night, she relaxed into Hook's arms and began to lose herself in the rhythm of his movements.

Two years ago, if anyone had told her that the villainous pirate Captain Hook would be the first man to ask her to dance, she would have called them crazy. Even once she had met the man, she still wouldn't have believed that he could dance, much less that he was this good at it.

He even seemed to be enjoying himself.

"I believe, love, that the curse you suffer is not two left feet as I had previously supposed, but rather a severe case of distraction." He cocked his head to the side, giving her that damn smirk. "I would apologize, Swan, but I'm afraid my devilishly good looks are not something I can easily get rid of."

"Your love for yourself knows no bounds," she shot back at him with a chuckle.

His blue eyes softened under her gaze. For a moment, she could see the man he used to be, the man he kept buried underneath layers of eyeliner and long leather overcoats.

The way he was looking at her sent a wave of warmth down to the tips of her toes, and she searched desperately for a way to lighten the mood. He hadn't left yet, but she couldn't afford to risk opening herself up to him. If she did, and he betrayed her like Neal had, she wouldn't be able to recover from the heartbreak.

Emma couldn't afford to risk her own heart; she couldn't take the chance that she was wrong about him.

Hook spun her back in towards him effortlessly. "I believe what I'm trying to say, Your Highness, is that you appear to be a natural. You are a wonderful dancer, Princess…and stunning as well. You cut quite the figure in that dress."

Stunning. He thought she was _stunning_. Her mind raced, searching for something, anything, to say. "If I get to be a princess, does that mean you're my prince?" she blurted out at last.

_Dammit. _Her face was on fire; she must look like a tomato. She should've gone with a simple "thank you;" that wouldn't have struck anywhere near as close to the truth of what she was feeling.

She was grateful that he was the one by her side. If he, a feared pirate captain, could be this…prince…standing in front of her, then surely she, the insecure thief he was dancing with, could be his princess.

"Aye, love. If agreeing to dress in this ridiculous coat and calling myself a prince are the only things it takes to get you to spend time with me, I'll gladly consent to your terms." He gave her a heartbreaking smile, one that shook her to her very core.

Emma was struck speechless.

She was saved from responding when the main entrance burst open.

It was Regina, and she looked furious.

Royal guards fanned out behind the Evil Queen as she stepped into the room, searching the faces of all of the dancers. The room had frozen; the faces of all the guests were filled with terror at Regina's seething glare.

Finally, the Queen realized that Snow was nowhere to be seen. She began to turn away, and Emma dared to breathe a sigh of relief at last. She dropped Hook's hand, not realizing how tightly she had been squeezing until she let it go.

Suddenly, Regina's eyes alighted on Emma's. She turned to the Captain of the Guard, whispering something in his ear and pointing a finger at the princess in the red dress. He nodded in understanding, and spoke two words that shook Emma to her core.

"Get her."

The royal guard began its march, shoving people out of the way. They were coming directly towards her and Hook. Somebody must have seen them helping Snow escape and told Regina; there was no other way they could have been found out.

"Hook, go away. Save yourself. I can't outrun them with the dress, but you can. Promise me that you'll get out of here and find your way back to Storybrooke. Take care of Henry for me, and tell him I love him. _Promise_ me."

Hook was silent.

"Killian, please, please, do this for me. I need to know somebody will be there for Henry." She was begging now, but at last her words elicited a nod.

She turned away, pushed him back into the crowd, and stood to embrace her fate.

Alone.

**Review?**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N - I changed up the format of the story a little bit on this chapter in order to expand on some aspects of Emma's time in prison and not others. I'm not sure how it turned out, let me know what you think of it :) As a heads up, the next update should be coming within the next couple of days as well.**

**Disclaimer - I double checked, but I still don't own OUAT. Heartbreaking, I know.**

Emma

She had gone willingly with them.

Yet the guards had still felt the need to push her forward with drawn swords as they tied her hands together. She had dared to take a single look backwards, hoping to lock eyes with Hook one last time, but he wasn't there.

She had even struggled against her captors in an attempt to get a better look around the ballroom. He still wasn't there. Once she had freed him from his responsibilities of having to look after her, he must have wanted to get away from her as soon as he possibly could.

Her walls were still up, but she was breaking on the inside. He had agreed to leave and save himself, but she selfishly wished that he would have stayed. Pirates were bad news. She shouldn't have expected him to act any differently – especially since she was the reason he was here – but she had certainly hoped that he would. The only thought keeping her going was that he would be safe.

It had been her fault they had come in the first place. She had been so absorbed with the portal that she hadn't considered what it could possibly do. Hook had tried to hold on, but when she fell, she had pulled his hook out of the ground, sending him down after her. He hadn't wanted to come, but her weight had torn him out of the real world and into the Enchanted Forest. Giving him his best chance by forcing him to leave was the least she could do to make up for what she had done.

That's what heroes did, wasn't it? They took the harder road themselves in order to lighten another's burden. She had given Henry up, she had killed Neal to free Rumpelstiltskin, and now…she had let Hook go.

Hook had to be a hero as well. He had given up his chance at revenge for all of their sakes, and he had come back with the magic bean. He had left, but _he had come back_. He was gone for good now; she knew the Queen would never let her go, and Hook would never return. He may not have wanted to leave, but she had placed him in charge of Henry, and she knew he would never shirk on that responsibility.

His nod had broken her heart, his eyes unable to even meet hers, before she had shoved him away.

…

The guards had brought her through winding corridors made entirely of stone. They had taken so many twists and turns that she was unsure if, given the opportunity, she would even be able to find her way out again. The palace had seemed grand and magnificent at the ball, but this part of it seemed to have an almost malicious nature. Suits of armor stood atop pedestals, mocking her as she passed them. Tapestries hung from the walls, illustrating the destruction of many villages, the feeling of death surrounding them.

It suddenly struck her that if she had never left, she would have grown up in a palace much like this. She would have explored these hallways and tunneled deeper into the inner workings of the castle. The large stone statues wouldn't have intimidated her, and she wouldn't have had to be afraid.

Right now, she was terrified.

She still didn't know what the Queen wanted from her. The woman hadn't even bothered following them – she had left in a cloud of smoke as soon as they had left the ballroom. The guard was clearly providing a royal escort for the princess on a path that led - almost certainly - down to the dungeon.

Rumpelstiltskin had been right about one thing. She was only pretending to be a princess, and she would never be anything more than a fake. Emma had believed that she had earned her night as a princess, but she had clearly been wrong.

This Evil Queen had claimed she would stop at nothing to kill Snow White, and Emma hadn't even caught a hint of a lie. As she had stepped forward at the dance to meet the Queen, she had looked into her eyes and realized for the first time that this woman wasn't Regina.

Regina may have been evil, but at least she was human. The Queen was a _monster_, determined to stop at nothing to destroy happy endings.

She had certainly ripped away Emma's day in a fairy tale.

As she was thinking this, the guards came forward, ripping the rich fabric of the dress off of her. Her eyes widened as she saw the scarlet folds of the dress tearing away, rippling to the ground. They reminded her of drops of blood, spilling down from the bodice of the dress.

The men left her in her shift, handing her a plain white dress to put on instead. It was woolen and scratchy, but it cleared any doubt in her mind of where they were taking her. It was the garb of a prisoner.

The guards brought her down a large spiral staircase. They arrived in a large, dimly lit room that smelled distinctly of mold and rotting food. Cells lined the walls, and a wail sounded from somewhere far away upon the arrival of the guard.

The man in front of her stopped abruptly. He unlocked the door to the cell he stood in front of, and the captain let loose a strong kick to Emma's back. It sent her sprawling onto the cold and slimy floor. Her head whipped into something sharp, and everything faded to black.

…

"Are…are you okay?" she heard a woman's voice whisper.

She had a splitting headache, and she couldn't remember where she was. All she wanted was a couple of Advil and a cup of hot cocoa with cinnamon; this was the _worst_ hangover she could remember ever having.

She opened her eyes to the darkness around her.

Emma wasn't at home, and she certainly wasn't drunk. She must have hit her head on something when she was kicked into the prison. Her back still ached, but it was a tolerable pain. Her head felt as if a giant was squeezing her brain out of her head, yet that, too, was bearable.

The memory of Hook's final nod as he turned away, prepared to leave her to save his own life – that _killed_ her.

She had forced him to, told him exactly what she knew he needed to hear in order to leave, but it still broke her heart. He wasn't coming back, and she had to accept that. She would find her own way out of this cage, and she would figure out her own way to get back to Storybrooke. The only person who would be saving her was herself.

"Are you okay?" the voice asked again, more insistently this time. Emma had completely forgotten to respond to her prior question; in fact, she had forgotten that the woman was even there.

"I think so. Why?"

Emma noticed movement in the darkness beyond. She moved closer, and found the woman in the cell next to her.

"They brought you in here three days ago. I've been trying to get you to wake up, but you were out cold. You must've taken a pretty bad fall – I wasn't sure you were ever going to wake up."

Emma felt ice run through her veins. "Three…three days? I've been out for _three days_?" She couldn't have been out that long. This was bad, very bad. She had to find her way back to Storybrooke, and the longer she remained here, the more difficult that would become.

"Yes, I'm afraid so." The woman smiled at her in an attempt to console her, but she wore a look of pure despair.

It scared Emma even more. "What is it? Is there something else? Has somebody come? Please, tell me," she begged.

"There is something else, but I'm not sure you can handle it in your weakened state." The woman slid some bread through the bars, but Emma craved answers more than food – and she was _ravenous_.

"Tell me, please. I can't focus on anything else, I need to know." God, she was curious.

"The execution was scheduled. It's tomorrow evening, at dusk. The Queen sent a messenger downstairs to relay the news to all of the prisoners. We are all to be there."

Emma was stunned into silence. She had expected a life in prison, but death? It seemed a bit harsh, even for thievery.

For the first time in years, she felt like crying. She hadn't cried since she had been a young girl, stuck in the group home. The younger girls had all been adopted; they were sweet little things, and families _wanted_ them.

But she had been stuck there for years without even a second glance. She had been a scared teenager, craving a family but knowing that she would never have one. She wanted love, but nobody was willing to give it to her.

She had been strong for years. She bore her friends' adoptions with a stoic face, pretending that it didn't hurt her when, one at a time, the children around her were taken in by loving parents.

They were given love, presents, a family, a _home_.

A home was all she had ever wanted, and it was the one thing she had yet to find.

The day she had broken had been the day her best friend, August, had been adopted. They had shared a special bond; he may have been older, but they had both been abandoned by the side of the same highway. He had always looked out for her, even when no one else would.

Then, one day, an old woman came by, seeking to adopt him. He begged not to be separated from Emma, but she refused to take them both. She dragged him away, screaming, "I will find you, Emma! I promise!"

It had been Emma's eleventh birthday.

She hadn't shed a tear since that day – not when Neal had left, not when she had found her mother, not when Graham had died in her arms.

But now, hearing that she would never see her family – or Hook – again, she felt the sudden urge to break down.

"Why? Why kill off an entire dungeon full of people who have done nothing wrong?" she wondered out loud.

The woman in her neighboring cell looked confused. "Not our execution – Snow White's. The Queen captured her yesterday, and all of the prisoners – those who were said to be her cohorts – are being brought out to witness it."

No. It wasn't possible.

If her mother died…Emma would never be able to return to Storybrooke.

She sunk back to the ground, her heart breaking as the last shreds of hope she had clung to faded away.

***** I DID change quite a few aspects of the plot with this chapter. (Thank you so much for the review, I didn't realize how confusing it was until I got it.) In this version, I altered the part with the execution on purpose. As evil as the queen is, it doesn't seem up her alley to keep prisoners for a night only to kill the prisoners in public the next morning. If that had been her goal, she'd have gotten a lot more publicity by ripping Emma's heart out at the ball itself than by waiting until the next morning - they were all gossiping royals, and I doubt people would hear about an execution overnight. Also, I did move the timing later, because as much as I love Hook, I don't think he could have believably escaped the ball, found Snow and Prince Charming, devised a plan, and snuck into the castle before sunrise, especially since the ball would've run late into the night. I also have August leaving Emma behind as a teenager instead of a baby because I personally feel like that "betrayal" would have led to the formation of the trust issues she had even more than Neal leaving would have simply because she was so young. Sorry for any confusion!*****


	9. Chapter 9

Killian

The hopelessness had been tangible in her eyes as they searched the ballroom, the pain in her gaze sending daggers through his heart. His fists had clenched at his sides as the guards dared to try and take his Emma. Stepping forward then wouldn't have saved her, but the pain of having been able to do nothing crippled him nonetheless. He was painfully aware of the last time the woman he loved had been ripped from his crocodile may have taken his Milah, but he would protect Emma with everything he had to keep her from the same fate at the hands of the queen.

This was a different situation, though. He had loved Milah with his entire heart, but he yearned for Emma with his entire _being_. The way he felt around her made his feelings for his past love seem like nothing more than a young lad's fancy. Milah may have taught him how to love, but it had been Emma who had shown him not only that he could change but also that he was capable of becoming a better man.

He had become a better man, for her and for her alone. If she thought that he was going to leave her, she was damn wrong. It was quite difficult, however, to force himself to forget her pleading tone as she said his name – his actual name – and begged him to leave her to care for her boy.

She may never forgive him for staying with her, he knew that. But Henry had Snow, Charming, and Regina to take care of him; hell, the entire town of Storybrooke was looking out for the lad.

Emma had no one. She had always been thought of second in the minds of the people around her. _She_ had even placed her own needs behind those of the people around her. He wanted to show her that she was first in his heart and mind and that he would do whatever it took to keep her both alive and safe. He loved her and valued her even more than he cared about his own life, and he was a _pirate_. She mattered to him more than anyone ever had, and he would show her how much she meant if only she'd give him the chance.

His place was where she was, and even she couldn't force him to leave it.

…

He had searched all night long to find Charming. He was exhausted, but the prospect of saving Emma took the edge off his exhaustion.

Charming had known of a secret entrance at the side of the castle which would bring them down to the dungeons. Emma (and if rumors were to be believed, Snow as well) was there. He had been daydreaming for hours of being able to rescue his fair princess.

She had never been rescued before. She had always been the one to save herself, but maybe this would make her realize that he wouldn't be the one to abandon her. He knew that she was fully capable of protecting herself, but he still felt the need to look out for her. He couldn't bear to let anything happen to her; he cared about her far too much.

He could almost imagine the look on her face when she realized that he hadn't abandoned her. She would be grateful for his help, and he would be able to protect her the way he had always wanted to. He wanted her to look at him with appreciation and thanks for what he had done, and the thought of the smile he might wheedle out of her put an even bigger one on his own face.

"We've got to move quickly once we're inside. You can rescue your princess, and I'll find Snow so I can get my ring back. We can't allow the guards to raise the alarm; the Queen is too powerful for the two of us to take on alone."

"Aye, mate, don't worry about it. If there's one thing I excel at, it's surviving. You'll get your ring back as well, even if you don't seem particularly happy about the match," he proceeded cautiously. He had to get Charming thinking of Snow again because it was the only way their true love would come to pass.

"Am I that obvious? I'd hoped I wasn't…I always thought I would at least have the opportunity to marry for love. King Midas's daughter is rich and beautiful, but she isn't _it_ for me. This marriage amounts to little more than a business transaction, and I had hoped for so much more. Now, I'm not even sure if I believe in true love."

"I once felt the way you do," Killian responded carefully. "Then, I met the right person, and she changed everything. She saved me by giving me the push I needed to change for the better. I wanted to become a hero for her, and she means everything to me. I love her more than I love myself, and she is more than worth every sacrifice I have ever made on her behalf." Every word he spoke struck him with its truth. He had always felt that Emma had been the one who hadn't understood the depth of his affection, but now, hearing his own confession, he realized that his feelings were much deeper than even he had known.

"Princess Leia? The one we're rescuing?"

"Aye. I'd go to the end of the world for her. Or time," he finished with a small smile. It was true; this hadn't been a one-time thing. Given the exact same situation, he would have chosen to follow her into the unknown over and over again.

"And she would do the same thing for you?" Charming inquired. The answer to this question was far more painful than it had been to any of the others, and the smile was wiped clean off Killian's face. This would be the moment where Killian would have to admit that even though Emma was his true love, he didn't know if she felt the same way. "I don't know." He honestly didn't. Emma had saved his life when Zelena had cursed him, but that didn't mean she cared enough to follow him to unknown lands. His spoken answer had been kinder than the truth – he didn't think she cared enough about him to follow him because she had too many other people in her life that she needed to worry about first.

"What about her parents? My father has certainly made things…difficult for me."

Killian almost laughed out loud, even though David certainly wouldn't appreciate the irony of what he had said. He didn't approve of Captain Hook's affection for his daughter, and he had made his thoughts clear on the matter on multiple occasions.

However, Killian realized that this was his chance to change the future – _his _future, with Emma. He could convince David he cared for his daughter enough that David would have to accept his feelings.

"Yes. I do not believe her father approves of me. He does not believe my feelings for her are true." Killian looked directly into Charming's eyes before continuing. He wanted him to remember this conversation more than anything else. This was his chance to redeem himself in Charming's eyes, and he would not waste it. "I have changed my ways in order to be worthy of her, and I will protect her with my life. I would never do anything to harm her because I love her, and I wish to one day be capable of winning her heart. I do, however, also wish that her parents would give me their blessing to continue pursuing her."

"They'd be crazy not to accept you, after the lengths you've gone to save her."

Even though this hadn't come from the David he knew, the words meant the world to Killian. "I really hope you remember that," he murmured.

His heart alight with hope and joy, Killian began preparing to rescue his very own damsel in distress.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N - Thank you to everybody who's taken the time to write a review for this! They really make my day, and I love to see that people are enjoying this, keep them coming :)**

**Less than 20 days until hiatus is over :D The promo pics are adorable, for anyone who hasn't seen them yet...**

**Disclaimer - Alas, I still do not own OUAT.**

...

**Killian**

Killian stared out into the darkness, looking for more guards. They had been marching across this side of the castle all day. Rumors of an execution had been circling throughout the town, and Killian was terrified of what it might mean for Emma. Charming crouched beside him in the darkness, but seemed to be having a far more difficult time holding still.

He was finally rescuing Emma. It had taken him far longer than he had hoped to find Charming, and even longer for the two of them to come up with a plan. He felt terribly about it, knowing that she must be sitting in that castle, believing that he had left her behind. Killian couldn't allow himself to consider that it might be too late; what mattered was that he had come for her.

He had wanted to come back as soon as she'd been taken; he'd even had a plan in place, even though it was an incredibly risky one. If his life had been the only one endangered by that plan, he would have come for her then and there.

But the life of Emma Swan was infinitely more precious to him than his own, and his idea might have ended up injuring her seriously. He would never have allowed himself to put her at risk because he was too proud to ask for help, and so he had waited patiently. He knew that waiting would be far less painful than seeing her hurt and knowing that it was his fault. The extra time had been worth it. David's knowledge of secret entrances into the castle had been put to good use, and Killian had memorized the patterns of the guard while David devised a safe route in.

Although Emma would still be risking her life throughout the rescue attempt, she would be far safer than she would have been if Killian hadn't taken the extra days. Killian would protect her with his life as well; he was prepared to take any blow meant for her if it allowed her to return to Storybrooke and her boy. She _would_ survive this.

He might not, but the look on her face when she saw him coming back for her would make it all worth it. He wanted her to realize that she was worth any sacrifice he could make. People may have left her behind, but he would never be one of them. He may have been a pirate, but she had made him want to be a hero, _her_ hero. Not once before in his entire life had he wanted so desperately to be that hero for somebody, not even when he had been with Liam. Emma had saved him again and again, and this was his chance to return the favor.

The guard finally continued their march. Once he could sense the emptiness in the surrounding courtyard, Killian motioned to David to follow him. They crept along so slowly it hurt. Killian was so close to Emma, and yet he was so far away. Even sprinting wouldn't have been fast enough. He wanted nothing more than to hold Emma and know that she was safe.

After making it closer in towards the secret passageway and the cover of darkness, Killian began to steadily increase his pace. It might be more conspicuous, but he couldn't bear to wait another minute to see his princess.

…

**Emma**

She huddled near the corner of her cell, trying to stay warm. The temperature in the dungeon had been steadily dropping as the night progressed, and she had only the thin dress to cover herself with. Escape was hopeless. She had tried to climb out through the window, but it was too high for her to reach. She had tried to rip out the bars, but they were solidly attached to the ceiling and floor. There was no way out of this.

The pain in her aching hands from hitting the wall paled in comparison to her stirring emotions. Killian had left, just like Neal had. He may not have betrayed her per se, but he was gone nonetheless. She wished she hadn't forced him to leave, if only so that she could see him one last time before spending the rest of her life in this prison.

She had tried to convince herself that he had wanted to leave her behind, but she couldn't stomach the thought. She knew that it was her fault – she had been the one to push him away. She had been forcing him away since the day she met him, trying to protect what was left of her heart.

Emma knew better now. She couldn't keep herself away from him; it was useless to pretend that she could. He might not want her anymore, but she still wanted him.

She tried one last time to break through the wall, but it was still useless. She wouldn't be able to see him again or confess that she still cared, and she might as well accept it now. Banging her head softly against the wall in disappointed frustration, she felt a sharp prick near her forehead. She shook her hair out, searching for the cause of her pain.

A hairpin fell to the ground, making a sharp clinking noise as it made contact with the cold stone floor.

A hairpin.

Neal.

_"__Look at this, Emma. This whole place, all to ourselves. All it takes is a bit of faith in yourself, and a pin of some sort. You asked earlier why I carried so many paper clips in my pocket, and this is why. The trick is in the tumblers - once you hit them just right, you're golden. This is what freedom tastes like." _

She could escape. She quickly ran over to the lock, jamming the pin inside of it. Neal may have died, and he may have abandoned her, but the skills he had taught her may have just granted her escape. Her fingers were shaking as she tried to wiggle the pin around the hole, remembering his advice. Finally, she heard a small click.

She had done it.

The lock eased off of the bars easily once it had been undone, and Emma snuck a quick glance over at the guard. He was sound asleep, snoring softly in the corner. Dark eyes looked at her from the neighboring cell, and she could hardly stand to meet them.

"Go," the woman said. "Be free." The tone in her voice pulled at Emma's heartstrings. She couldn't bear to leave this woman here to die; the dungeon was unfit for anyone, much less this kindhearted friend. But…she couldn't change time.

She paused, long enough to hear the woman say "Hurry up! They'll catch you!" before making her choice.

Emma spun around quickly, picking the lock on her neighbor's cell door in a matter of seconds. Not able to afford waiting for her to climb out of the cell, Emma turned and ran to the tunnel leading out of the dungeon.

The staircase she had come here by would be far too conspicuous. If anyone came down it, they would instantly run into her and drag her back down to the dungeon. No, she would have to go by this tunnel, filled with all sorts of things she'd rather not think about. Spider webs lined the walls, and it took a vast amount of effort to force herself to keep moving after hearing small squeaking noises coming from the walls.

She rounded another corner and heard footsteps rapidly approaching. Hugging herself into the wall, she wished desperately for a sword, a sharp shard of glass, anything. Searching the ground, she found a rock. It was dull, but it might do the trick if it came to that. She picked it up off the ground, raised it above her head, and turned around to face the newcomer as he rounded the last turn.

She froze, the rock suddenly dropping from her grasp.

It was _Killian_. He had come back for her.


	11. Chapter 11

**Killian**

It was Emma.

He forgot about the execution, the guards that would be coming soon, even the fact that her father was coming up the tunnel behind him. He was drinking in the shape of her face, drowning in her startling green eyes. She was battered, bloody, and bruised, but even more beautiful than he remembered. He wandered as if in a trance to the place where she stood, not daring to touch her out of fear that she might disappear.

He noticed a look of pure awe in her eyes, one that was surely reflected in his own. Under that awe laid vulnerability, and only then did he realize how much he had to have hurt her.

He had abandoned her. He had left her behind to be taken to jail, and it wasn't to protect her. In her eyes, he had to be even worse than Baelfire. Yes, he had come for her, but he was too late.

His promises would mean nothing to her now. She would never again believe him when he said that he would never leave her behind. He had joined the ranks of all those who had left her behind and forgotten about her, the ones she refused to care about. The rescue he was supposed to perform in order to gain her forgiveness hadn't happened; she had managed to escape by herself. She would never want or need him, but he would never stop wanting and needing her.

He bit back the tears forming in his eyes. She was so beautiful that it took his breath away. He had managed to find her, but he would never have the chance to be with her now, not after what he had done.

"Emma," he whispered, desperate for her to see him as the man who had come to rescue her instead of the man who had simply watched as her enemy dragged her away.

"Hook," she responded. Pain was vivid in her eyes, and he was forced to look away from her gaze. The only thing he could think about was taking her into his arms and holding her tightly enough that she wouldn't be able to push him away again. She had called him _Hook_. She still saw the pirate first and the man second, and his actions had done nothing to assuage that notion.

"There's somebody coming, Charles. We need to leave now or else we run the risk of being caught." There was enough panic in Charming's voice to strike Killian to the bone. He grabbed Emma's hand quickly, pulling her along behind him as they ran through the empty tunnel after Charming. It might have been easier to run without her hand in his, but he needed to feel her and know that she was real.

He might never get another chance to be this close to her again, and he wasn't going to bloody waste this one.

"Hook, we have to find Snow. They're going to kill her any minute now. We have to stop them, do something, _anything._ Please, we have to help her." Emma's voice was quiet but desperate, and the pain she must be feeling was evident in her words.

For her, he would do anything.

"Aye, darling. Charming, where might we find the lass? You must be eager to get that ring back as well, I daresay."

"I don't know exactly where to find her, but I do know how to get to a window. We should be able to see the city from there. The castle is full of twists and turns, and I have no idea where the queen would keep a prisoner as valuable as Snow, but at that point we can at least find where the execution will be. From there, it should be relatively easy to determine where she is based on the location of the guards."

Killian squeezed Emma's hand gently as he heard her breathe out a sigh of relief. He may not have gotten to rescue Emma, but he had been granted the opportunity to rescue her mother. Charming had told Killian that he was deserving of Emma; perhaps rescuing Snow might convince her of it as well. When Emma didn't pull her hand away from him, he felt the sides of his mouth quirk up. Perhaps there was hope for forgiveness after all.

They finally arrived in front of a large window which allowed them to see to the edges of the town. In the center of the courtyard was a large hanging tree surrounded by guards. He pursed his lips tightly as he noticed a lone figure being marched out in front of the queen. It had to be Snow, meaning that he had failed Emma once again. It was too late for them to save Snow; it would take far too long for them to find their way down in tim.

Killian noticed the instant that she saw her mother. Her hand crept up, covering her mouth as tears formed in her eyes. His whole body tensed as he felt her clutch his hand tighter, creeping closer in to his side. She clearly didn't want to be obvious about needing support, but he was amazed that she was seeking it from him.

He was a pirate. He had taken the magic bean and abandoned her. He had endangered both her and her son, and he had let Cora imprison her. He had let the queen's guards take her away without putting up a fight. He hadn't even been able to rescue her mother from this execution, yet she was still seeking him out.

She had always refused to take comfort from anyone, regardless of the circumstances._I save myself_, she had said. She had not gone to Neil, her mother, her father, or even Henry. Yet here she was, trying to be inconspicuous as she moved closer to him, seeking _his_ support and comfort.

Killian knew how difficult it was for Emma to admit that she needed help. He knew the emotional obstacles she had overcome in order to open up to him even this slight bit and he wanted her to know that he was there for her.

He slipped his hand out of her grasp, ignoring the shocked and pained look appearing on her face. He turned slightly and held out his arms to her. To his utter relief – and joy, although he would never admit to it under the circumstances – she took the step forward.

Her arms stayed at her sides, and she still refused to face him, but _she had approached him_. He knew that it would be a long and painful road for her to tear down all of her walls of insecurity and pain, but he was willing to help her through that journey. Right now, this small opening she had given him was more than enough. He wrapped his arms around her, enveloping her in a gentle embrace.

The scent of Emma penetrated the air, and he inhaled deeply. The feeling of her body in his arms amazed him, and as she reached up to hold his arms more tightly against her, his heart filled to overflowing. Certainly, this wasn't the time for such thoughts, but he couldn't help it. He granted himself a few selfish moments to revel in the feeling of being permitted to hold her before clearing his mind of thoughts of Emma to search for any way to rescue Snow.

It was useless. Snow was being marched up to the pole, her hands fastened with rope, as his mind raced. The queen stood before them, fire blazing on her open palm. Killian felt Emma begin to shake uncontrollably against him as she watched the guard step away from her mother for the final time, and his racing mind turned in a different direction. He took off his coat, slipping it over her shoulders and running his fingers along her back and shoulders. He tightened his grip on her, holding her tightly against him to show her that he was there for her.

His efforts to calm her down were rewarded when she rested her head on his chest. She was squeezing his arm again, and he was relieved that she was drawing on his strength instead of withdrawing deeper into herself.

The queen threw the huge fireball. Emma gasped against him, and he felt a single teardrop splash onto his arm. He watched the cursed flames travel through the air and flare up once they reached the pole but…Snow wasn't in them. He blinked, trying to clear his vision, but the flames had gone up high enough to block his view of her. He could have sworn that Snow hadn't been there a second ago, but how? He kept quiet so as not to get Emma's hopes up, but he believed that her mother might just have escaped. He had no idea how, and it was entirely possible that he was mistaken. If Snow was out there – and he believed she was – he would find her, for Emma.

He had been there to support her through this. He would continue to be there for her in any and every way that she would let him, but in the meantime, he had a dead woman to find.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N - This was my favorite chapter to write (so far), and I hope you all like it too! Only a few more chapters left :) **

**Disclaimer - I still don't own OUAT. *sighs dramatically***

**Killian**

He had been right.

Emma had been distancing herself from him the entire day. He was disappointed, but he couldn't say he hadn't expected it. She needed some time alone to mourn, and so he had devoted himself to helping her in the one way he could – attempting to come up with a way that Snow could have escaped the Evil Queen.

He had yet to figure out exactly how Snow had done it, but he knew one thing for certain. Snow _had_ escaped, and he could prove it to Emma. If Snow had died, then all hope would have disappeared with her. Emma would never been born, and he would never have come back to the Enchanted Forest. He wouldn't have had a reason to come back. Emma's presence here – and his as well - was the only proof he needed to validate his earlier belief.

He approached her quietly, not wanting to scare her away. She was curled up into a tight ball, his coat still draped over her shoulders like a blanket. Her face rested in her hands, hiding her from the rest of the world.

"Swan," he said, alerting her to his presence.

"Go away. I'm not in the mood." It was similar to what she had said every other time he had attempted to join her, but this time he refused to take no for an answer.

"Swan, I know you wish to be left alone. I will always honor your wishes, but you need to hear this. I don't need you to look at me or even to respond; I only need you to listen to what I have to say, and then I shall return to camp."

When she didn't respond, he began to go on. She may not have told him she would listen, but she hadn't told him to go away either. "I've been thinking. At the execution, when the fire hit that pole, I could have sworn it was empty. I didn't want to get your hopes up if I was wrong, but I know I'm not now. Swan, your mother is alive. Your presence here in the Enchanted Forest is proof of it. If she had died, you would never have existed, and so you couldn't be here. I don't know how she managed it, but she's out there somewhere. I promise you, we will find her." He finished cautiously, looking up from the ground to gauge her reaction.

She was already looking at him; she must have picked her head up sometime during his speech. Her green eyes met his, gratitude and hope both tangible in her gaze. She looked at him with some adoration, a hesitant smile that took his breath away appearing on her lips. He realized then that this had been exactly what he had hoped for when he had come to rescue her. He had wanted her to look at him like _this,_ as though she was amazed that he had saved her, as though she was amazed by him.

Emma still hadn't spoken a word, but the aura of hope that had replaced the one of despair was more than enough of a response for Killian.

He hadn't been able to rescue her from the dungeon, and he hadn't been able to do anything as they watched her mother's execution. The only thing he had been able to save her from had been her own despair and pain.

For now, perhaps that was enough.

…

**Emma**

She still couldn't believe that he was really here.

He had come back for her. He hadn't abandoned her, and she wondered how she had ever believed he had. He had stood by her as she watched her mother burn, and he had been the one to give her a way to escape her pain and heartbreak. He was here with her now, and he had been able to prove to her that there was still hope out there.

David and Mary Margaret had always told her that regardless of how bleak the circumstances looked, there was always hope – especially when True Love was involved. She hadn't believed them until today, when Killian had proven their words to be true.

She may have been the Savior, but he had been the one to save her.

She had unwittingly opened herself up to him earlier, seeking out his comfort. Now, she willingly allowed herself to break a pirate-sized hole in her emotional barriers. _I can't take the chance that I might be wrong about you_.

Even that day on the beanstalk, she had believed there was some goodness in him. She had never been willing to give him a chance to prove himself to her, but he had done it over and over again. She had just been too blind to see.

He had shown her that he cared in countless ways. _He had come back for her_. Somewhere along the way, she had begun to trust – and care about – Killian Jones. She was scared by how much she felt for this man, and she was terrified that he might leave her as Neal had done.

She was gaping at him now, she just knew it, but she couldn't help it. He had cared about her so much that he had spent his day searching for proof, searching for a way to bring her hope once again, and he had found it. She clutched his coat to her, breathing in his scent, and steeling herself for what was to come.

As he turned to leave her alone again, she forced the words out.

"Killian, why…why did you come back?" She had wondered this from the moment she had seen him in the tunnel. She was broken, not worthy of any kind of love, yet something had convinced him to come back for her.

His whole body stopped. He stood there, frozen, before slowly turning around to face her.

She realized that she had called him _Killian_, not Hook. _Damn_. In her mind, he had always been Killian, but she hadn't allowed herself to voice it in casual conversation. Calling him Hook kept him away, reminding her of the cruel pirate he had been instead of the tender gentleman he was now, reminding her to keep pushing him away.

"I never did, love. A man can't come back if he never left."

She realized then that she didn't want to keep him at arm's length. His eyes were blazing with tenderness and love, and her breath caught in her throat. He hadn't come back for her.

He had _stayed_ for her.

"Emma, I am so sorry. I never meant to abandon you, and I never wanted to hurt you. I wanted to be a better man for you, but I wasn't. I should have followed you. I should have gone down to the dungeon with you, not left you to deal with your fate yourself. I thought I had a better chance of keeping you safe if I waited, but after a few hours, I realized I had made the wrong decision. I never should have let them take you, and I will regret that choice every day. I desperately hope that you have it in your heart to forgive me."

"Killian, you never left. You stayed, for me. I was upset when you left because I thought you didn't care anymore, but the instant that I saw you coming for me, all of that was forgotten. You don't need to ask for my forgiveness; you already had it."

He looked like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

A smile on his face, he took a step forward and hugged her tightly. His hand cupped her neck, and he held her as if she was his lifeline. He held her as though she was _precious_ to him. She clutched him back, grateful for her mother's safety and even more so for his presence in her life.

She tilted her head and whispered into his ear. "Thank you for staying with me - and for finding out that my mother is alive."

He pulled his head back slightly to look deep into her eyes as he whispered his response in a low voice. "You are the only one who believed that I could become a better man. I owe everything to you, Emma Swan."


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N - Many thanks to everybody who took the time to review :) Knowing that people enjoy the story makes it a lot more fun to write, and they never fail to put a smile on my face! The next update should be out sometime tomorrow (possibly even later tonight if I'm feeling motivated), and for everybody without countdowns going...8 days left! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT. **

**Emma**

She was alive.

No, more than that, she was okay. The Blue Fairy was saying her goodbyes, but Emma had eyes only for Snow, for her _mom_.

She had been so worried, and now she was overwhelmed with relief. She felt as though she were floating and had no control over her body or her emotions. She hadn't thought she would ever see Mary Margaret again. Her mother had been added to the growing list of people who had been hurt – or killed - because of her. It was yet another reason why she couldn't allow anyone to get close to her, a reason why she had to push everyone she cared about away.

But her mother was completely fine, without even a scratch to be seen. If her mother could survive being around her…perhaps other people could, too. Perhaps she wasn't a danger anymore, now that her time as the Savior was up.

She couldn't stand it anymore. She couldn't keep pushing her mother away out of fear for the future. She was here now, and everything would be okay.

She flung herself at Snow, throwing her arms around her shoulders and opening herself up completely to her mother's warm embrace for the first time since she was a newborn. "You're alive," she whispered hoarsely into her mother's ear.

"Who are _you_?" Snow demanded, a hint of wariness mingling with confusion.

It was only then that Emma realized that Snow wasn't returning her hug. Her face was completely blank, not even recognizing her own daughter. _Of course she wouldn't_, Emma realized, too late.

She was crushed.

Even though she had always refused to admit it (even to herself) Emma had always dreamed of being looked at with love, as though she was truly cherished by someone. She had seen countless friends go home at night with families and siblings that loved them; the feelings were obvious in their eyes and mannerisms. Not once in her life had she ever received such a look, and she had just about given up hope that she ever would.

But…when Emma looked at Snow now, she realized for the first time that both of her parents looked at her like that. They saw her and loved her, and they only wanted to help her. They did truly love her with a parents' love, even if they hadn't been able to watch her grow up. She had been too blind to see what she had when she still had it.

Now, she had lost it, possibly forever. This Snow didn't even see an acquaintance when she looked at Emma, much less a daughter.

Emma made a few quick apologies and excuses to Snow, mumbled beyond understanding, and slowly backed away. The last glimpse she got of Snow was of her mother embracing Ruby, a wide smile of adoration and thanks on her face. It stung, seeing her mother care so much about Ruby but nothing for her own daughter. She hadn't even _recognized_ her.

Droplets of water began to fall onto Emma's arm. She looked into the sky, searching for the rain, and found none. It took her far longer than she would ever admit to realize that they were, in fact, teardrops. It had been so long since she had allowed any to fall, and even longer since she had faced legitimate sobbing.

This was too much for her. Her emotions had been poked and prodded, but now they were completely falling to pieces. She walked a few more steps into the trees until she was out of sight and then collapsed onto a log, facing away from the group and letting the tears flow. Sobs racked her body, and she felt completely, devastatingly alone.

The worst part? She didn't _want_ to be. She wanted somebody beside her, somebody she could trust, but nobody was coming. Here, her parents didn't even know who she was, and neither did Ruby. Henry was still safely back in Storybrooke, and Killian…well, he might think he was attracted to her now, but there was no way his affection for her was anywhere near as earthshattering as what she felt for him. Opening up to him would only lead to more pain and heartbreak. There would be no way for him to see her like this, her brokenness fully exposed to the world, and still feel _anything_ for her.

The thought only made her cry harder.

…

**Killian**

Killian had watched as Emma had left the group. Although David and Snow kept barraging him with a steady stream of questions about where "the Prince Charles and Princess Leia" were going and Snow kept thanking him for what he had done, his eyes were only for Emma.

When she had disappeared from sight, he had hurriedly finished the conversation her parents had roped him into. He had noticed the pure pain that had been radiating from her in waves. He had noticed the way her spirit and excitement had died when her mother hadn't recognized her. He had noticed the slump of her normally poised body, and he knew that she was not okay.

He deeply regretted having left Emma alone earlier, when she was dealing with the death of her mother. He wouldn't allow her to send him away again. If there was ever a time when she _needed_ someone, this would be it. He knew the look she had been wearing all too well – it mirrored his own on the day that Liam had died.

She had approached him during the execution when she needed him. She had needed him, and he had turned right around and abandoned her the next time she did. He was ashamed of himself.

Emma was one of the strongest, most confident women he had ever met, and she was beyond a doubt the most beautiful as well. She had been hurt before, even more than he had been, and she had built walls stronger than he could ever have imagined.

It must have been practically impossible for her to approach him earlier. It was his turn to return the favor, he thought as he followed her tracks into the woods.

A few seconds later, Killian realized that the tracks wouldn't be necessary in order to find Emma. He heard a sniffling noise, and he realized exactly what it meant.

He broke out into a run, desperate to show Emma that even if her parents didn't recognize her now, he was able to see her for who she really was. And he loved her for it.

When he finally saw her, the sight broke his heart. She was huddled in a ball, her entire body shaking with the sobs. She hadn't even noticed him until he placed his hand on her back.

He used his hand to guide him down until he sat in the dirt next to her, his arm wrapped around her body. He held his breath until she turned around and pressed her face into his chest. She folded into his embrace, her fingers clutching him to her. Her breath was shallow against his neck, and he could feel his shirt dampened by her warm tears.

"I'm here, love," he whispered gently against her hair. He placed a comforting kiss on her forehead and simply sat, holding her. If she hadn't been so distraught, he might have been completely content like this.

All he had ever wanted was for her to let him in, to open up her heart to him. He had never intended for her to open up to him this much, and, frankly, he was amazed that she had. He loved her all the more for it. As he looked down at her shaking body in his arms, he knew that he would never willingly allow anyone or anything to hurt this woman in his arms. He gave thanks for what had to be the hundredth time that he had changed enough to show her the respect and love that she deserved. If he had still been his old self, the one they had run into in the tavern…he never would have been granted this moment with her.

He rubbed his hand along her back until the shaking had subsided. Tears were still streaming down her cheeks, but the sobbing had stopped – and so had Emma's placement of her head on his chest. She was looking up at him through thick black lashes.

He reached out to move the tendrils of hair clinging to her wet cheeks away, running the side of his hand along her cheekbone as he did.

Her fingertips reached out to graze his chest. Her delicate touch sent fire through his veins, and all thought was chased from his mind. "I'm so sorry," she whispered, her voice breaking. She was rubbing the spot on his shirt where her tears had soaked through the dark fabric, and he noticed tears bubbling over in her eyes once again.

"Love, I don't mind one whit. Pirate, remember? A bit of salt water never bothered me," he told her with a smile. His fingers hesitantly went to her face, and he wiped away her tears with the pad of his thumb. Her watery smile as he did it was enough by itself to make his entire journey to the past more than worth it. "What I'm more worried about is you. Are you all right, Swan?"

She nodded slightly, sadly. He witnessed the exact moment she placed her emotional walls back up against him, the exact point in time when she was no longer opened up to him. Her eyes still drew his in, but at the same time they shut him out.

Emma drew away from him slightly, until the memory of her warm body in his arms was nothing more than a dream, one of the best he had ever had.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: I can't believe I'm going to say this, but...the end is near. There's only one chapter left in this, and it should come out in the next day or two.**

**HOWEVER, I am continually overwhelmed by the support this story has gotten (I love you all), and it's been a lot of fun to write! Hence, I am seriously considering starting a sort of sequel that follows the plotline of OUAT from 4x02-4x04, because Killian and Emma are just too dang cute...I can't decide if I'm going to or not yet, but it is certainly being pondered.**

**Disclaimer - This is the most depressing part of writing fanfiction: I do not, and probably never will, own OUAT.**

**...**

**Killian**

"I want to go _home_."

Killian and Emma stood, watching as the portal began to open up at the sound of Emma's words. They stepped through it together, and Killian gripped Emma's hand tightly, refusing to let go. His choosing to follow her had been one of the best decisions of his life. She was still pulling away from him, but they had grown undeniably closer in the Enchanted Forest.

He traveled through the portal with lightness in his heart and hope for the future, _his_ future, with Emma. She had given that heart wrenching speech about wanting to go home, and he wanted nothing more than to be a part of it. He would have wished upon any star in the night sky for her to stay here in Storybrooke, and after hearing her words on the subject, he truly believed that she just might.

Killian flew out of the portal, the wind knocked out of him as he hit the hard ground. Emma followed, but her fall was broken as she landed on top of Killian's chest. "Seems like you can't get enough of me, eh, love?" he said as he searched for breath. His voice may have been flirtatious, but the look he gave her was anything but, full of sincerity and love.

"I…I have some things to take care of," she said, a small smile on her face as she pulled away. He let her go, but he couldn't help following behind her, skulking through the shadows. She was sadly mistaken if she thought she could shake him this easily.

He walked slowly behind her all the way to the diner where her family waited patiently. The scene was full of warmth and love, but he felt unwelcome in the environment. She hadn't wanted him along, and her family – well, David might have said he approved in the past, but Killian was afraid those emotions may not have continued. He knew not to push his luck where Emma Swan was concerned. She would give him as much of her as she was comfortable with, and he would be overjoyed with every little piece of her that was entrusted to his care.

Killian took a seat outside in the cold, one which allowed him a clear view into the windows. He was an outsider looking in once again, and nothing about his status in Storybrooke had really changed. His status with Emma, though…he didn't know if that had changed or not yet, but he certainly hoped that it had.

He watched her wander inside and throw herself at her parents. He watched her embrace her son, and he watched her greet her baby brother.

He watched her embrace her mother the exact same way she had in the Enchanted Forest. The look of surprise on Snow's face was identical, but the love that replaced the surprise soon afterwards was entirely different – and exactly what Emma had been searching for.

His Swan looked truly happy, and that was more than enough for him.

…

**Emma**

"Mom…Dad…" she said in a broken whisper as she threw her arms around her parents.

"When we saw the portal, we were worried," David said. "Emma, are you…are you all right?" Mary Margaret contributed.

"Yes. I'm better than all right. I'm home," she quietly responded. The tears were building up in her eyes again, and she reached out again, allowing herself to be held by both of them. She was truly happy, and knew that as long as she had this, she wouldn't want for anything else.

Her mother looked like a deer in headlights at that. "Do you mean that you're not-"

"Leaving? We're not going anywhere." She finished with a hesitant smile, one that grew as her son jumped out of his booth to give her a hug. He had his mother, and she had her parents, and for the first time, it felt like family.

Her mother reached out to her, tears shining in her eyes, and held Emma as though she was her most precious treasure, her most prized possession. Her father reached out as well, his hand holding Emma's face to his chest as his arm wrapped around both her and her mother. Henry joined the hug, and the sense of togetherness overwhelmed Emma. It had taken her entire life, but she had finally found the place where she belonged.

The four of them sat in a booth together, drinking each other in.

"So…does this mean you're in the book, Mom?"

"I don't know, Henry." Emma spoke at the exact same time as David piped up, "Why don't we have a look?"

Henry ran to go and grab his storybook, and together as a family, they flipped through the pages. Emma's breath caught as she looked down at the page-length picture of her dancing with Killian. Smiles shone brightly on both of their faces, immortalized forever within the pages of this book.

"You were Princess Leia," her mom wondered in amazement. Her fingers traced the Emma on the page, tears forming in her eyes as she looked at her little girl all grown up. It showed her everything that she had given up when she sent Emma through the wardrobe door, and looking at Mary Margaret made her daughter begin to tear up as well.

"And that Prince Charles was Killian," David grumbled with a chuckle, clearly recalling a memory of long ago.

"Nice alias, Mom," Henry said. Emma smiled. _Star Wars_ had always been one of Henry's favorites, and she should have known better than to think he would ever let her get away with using the name. "Guess that makes you my Han then, huh, my little partner in crime?" she responded, ruffling his hair. "And your lovely grandpa over there? He gets to be Vader." Henry burst out laughing at that, and she flashed him a conspiratorial wink. The grandpa in question looked more confused than Emma had ever seen him, and she had to admit the reaction was amusing. When Henry responded, "Nah. If I'm stuck as Han, he only gets to be my Chewbacca," Emma couldn't help joining in with her son's laughter.

They stayed like that for what seemed like forever, until her parents left to go and make the announcement about her brother. Henry went with them, not wishing to be parted from his baby uncle, and Emma was alone.

She opened the book one more time to the page of her and Killian dancing. She truly was a part of Storybrooke now; she even looked like a fairy tale princess amidst the covers of this book.

She read about the fearsome Captain Hook dealing with Snow White, about their introduction to Midas, about the dance. She read about their duel with the Royal Guards, and about how Prince Charles was dying inside as he watched them take away his princess. She turned the page, and was surprised by another picture.

This one was of a campsite, two men sitting around a fire. She recognized them as her father and Killian, and her eyes opened wide as a few lines of text caught her eye. She looked closer, scanning the page quickly.

_"__I once felt the way you do," Prince Charles responded carefully. "Then, I met the right person, and she changed everything. She saved me by giving me the push I needed to change for the better. I wanted to become a hero for her, and she means everything to me. I love her more than I love myself, and she is more than worth every sacrifice I have ever made on her behalf." _

_"__Princess Leia? The one we're rescuing?" _

_"__Aye. I'd go to the end of the world for her. Or time," he finished with a small smile. _

_"__And she would do the same thing for you?" Prince Charming inquired. The answer to this question was far more painful than it had been to any of the others, and the smile was wiped clean off Prince Charles's face as he responded with the words "I don't know."_

She gasped audibly, and watched as the world slowed down around her. Killian had said those things to her father. _Killian_.

She realized then that he had never come into the diner with her and suddenly everything seemed wrong. Storybrooke might be the place where her home was, but it was the people in it who contributed to the feelings it evoked in her.

Right now, one of the most important of these people was missing.

Luckily, finding people was the thing she was best at.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has read, followed, favorited, or reviewed this story. I love you all, and you guys have given me the confidence to keep writing! I want to give special thanks to everyone who has reviewed this as well - I appreciate you taking time out of your day to write reviews more than I can ever say, and your comments mean the world to me :)  
>This is the final chapter, and I hope you all enjoy it! <strong>

**Disclaimer: I still don't own OUAT.**

**Killian**

Killian watched her from the window.

She was alone. Her parents and Henry had left her to go and take care of her little brother, putting her second once again. For the first time since he had been born, she seemed not to care.

It was cold outside the diner, but Killian knew that he didn't belong inside. Her family was there, and he was not a part of that. For now, he would have to content himself by just watching her. For now, that would have to be enough.

He couldn't take his eyes off of her. She was enchanting, beautiful, strong, and she took his breath away. She may not have been without her faults, but to him, she was perfect.

When a small smile appeared on her face, he crept closer to her out of curiosity. What appeared to be Henry's storybook was lying on the table, and she was looking at it intently. That couldn't be, though; she had seen it thousands of times before, and it had only ever brought her pain and more monsters to face.

As he crept closer, he realized that his earlier presumption had been true – it was the lad's book. But when he saw exactly what it was that she was looking at, he couldn't stop the smile that came onto his face. Her finger crept out, tracing the outline of the two dancing figures.

_Perhaps the book truly did know which aspects of a story were most important_, Killian mused happily. He might have to borrow that book more often after all, if it contained a picture of her looking that radiant. In the picture, Killian was looking at Emma as if she was his sun, his world. It was a sentiment he certainly shared – although if his feelings were that transparent, it was a wonder that he hadn't scared Swan away yet.

The look on Emma's face was entirely different than the one he had come to know.

She was looking at the Killian dancing next to her as though he was all the stars in the sky, set to guide her home. She looked elated and excited, and truly content to be in his arms. He knew that the look had never been on her face – at least not while looking at _him_ - but it gave him hope for the future. All of the other stories in that book had played out as they had been written; why not this one?

Regina's voice echoed through his head. _Do I need to remind you of who you are, Captain Hook? You are a villain, and villains don't get happy endings. _

It was true.

The book did not give any of its villains the happy endings they wished for; the misdeeds they had committed destroyed their chances for a peaceful ending. The man named Killian Jones had become a fierce pirate captain in its pages. He committed countless crimes, sought vengeance his whole life for a girl he now realized wasn't worth it, and killed without a second thought. He had been the villain of his story, and he had no hope left for a happy ending. His only hope had been to avenge his Milah.

Now, the storybook had shown another version of Killian Jones. This Killian Jones, this Prince Charles, was a hero. He had saved Snow White, and by saving the land's queen, he had saved the entirety of the Enchanted Forest. This man had loved his princess so much that when he rescued her, his first thought had been saving _her_ instead of killing her captors to gain his own revenge. This Killian Jones had been the one to convinced Prince Charming that true love was worth any cost.

This Killian Jones was a hero, and heroes had a fighting chance at a happy ending.

Emma turned the page, but his view was blocked as she shifted her arm. He did, however, have a perfect view of her face. Her entire demeanor was shifting, her eyes opening wider than he ever thought possible. Killian took a step to the side, trying to see what was causing the reaction in her, but his attempts were in vain.

She stood abruptly, slamming the book shut and all but running to the door. Killian quickly moved a couple of tables over and sat down, not wishing her to know that she had been watched.

Emma walked out the door with purpose, but her face displayed the worry that lay beneath. He wondered briefly where she was going in such a hurry, but lost the thought as soon as her eyes met his. They were open wide, orbs of green blazing into his own, drawing him in. The fear was still there, but he sensed something else beneath it as well, something that hadn't been there before.

Something that had been in her face in the picture.

She came over, more hesitant now, and sat down next to him. The tables were just small enough that her knee brushed his, and he cursed his own lack of foresight. If he had known she would be coming out to join him, he might have found a smaller table, tucked away into a dark corner. She would never willingly sit this close to him, but if he had pushed the chairs together just a few inches more, she might have been forced to. Even that wouldn't have been enough though; he could never be close enough to her.

Especially not when she was looking like _that_, at _him_.

"Hello there, love," he said, trying to put her at ease. She had never acted like this around him before, and he wondered what had been in that book that made her like this.

"I think Rumpelstiltskin's right," she said bluntly. "I'm in the book now. He said everything besides our little adventure would go back to normal now." _Ah, so she had only wanted to inform him of the facts. How…thoughtful of her_. He had wished that she had come to see him, but this was far more like Emma, regardless of how much it hurt him to admit it to himself.

He wanted to know what had been in that book.

"He's right. Otherwise I'd remember that damn bar wench I kissed," he said. He was trying so hard not to let his emotions show, and he was doing a bloody awful job at it. He looked away, unable to meet her eyes. He hadn't expected Emma to come out here for him, but knowing that he hadn't been the reason still hurt. Killian finished with a flourish, a flirtatious smile on his face to conceal his true feelings.

He had hidden behind that smile more times than he could count. Sincerity had never worked with Emma; it only made her want to run off. He had long ago discovered that joking was the only way he could tell her how he really felt. Adding a smirk to his confessions of love may have downplayed his feelings for her, but at least it allowed him to tell her how he really felt without scaring her away.

"I know how you kiss. I'd have gone after her. But I didn't; my life went on exactly the same as before." He tried to assuage the last of her worry. The past would be all right, and the present they had now seemed to be running just the same as before. "Everything's back to normal, and you're a bloody hero, Swan."

"So are you," she responded, a twinge of embarrassment bringing color to her cheeks. "Anyway, I came out here to thank you."

To thank him? For what? He racked his brain, trying to come up with some action he had taken that deserved thanks, and came up with nothing. What had the book said to make Emma want to come out here to _thank_ him? He looked at her, trying to read her expression, and utterly failing.

"For coming back for me in New York," she finished when he didn't respond.

Ah. That.

"It was the right thing to do." It was the right thing to do, but that didn't mean it was why he had done it. No, the reason he had come back for her was pure selfishness. He had wanted to see her again. Even more than that, he had wanted to see his kiss transform her face into one of remembrance, to have another chance to gain her affection. Yes, he had also done it so that she could save the town, but that was a far cry from the only reason why he had done it. Was she able to tell that he was withholding information? It hadn't been a flat out lie, after all…

When she responded with, "How did you do it?" he knew that he was in the clear. He steeled himself, trying to prepare himself for the questions that were surely coming, but he couldn't help his nerves. The great Captain Hook was terrified of what this woman had the power to do to him. He could pour his heart out on his sleeve, but in the process he might lose her forever.

Damn her ability to tell when he was lying.

"Well, the curse was coming. I ditched the crew and I took the ship as far and as fast as I could to outrun it."

"You? Outran a _curse_?" He smirked. "I'm a hell of a captain, love. Although I must say, I'm a bit disappointed by your lack of faith in my abilities."

"How did you open the portal?" He had tried so hard to change the subject. She might not be ready to hear the truth about his feelings for her. He couldn't bear to scare her away; he cared about her and relished her presence far too much to ever risk losing her. "With a magic bean." _Please don't ask where I got the-_

"How? Those are not easy to come by." He could've sworn that this woman had to have the ability to read his thoughts and do the exact opposite of what he wished. He had no choice. He had to tell her and suffer the consequences. If she ran away, at least she would know how he felt about her.

He glanced away, suddenly unable to meet her eyes. "They are if you've got something of value to…trade." His voice broke slightly on the last word, and Killian prayed she hadn't noticed.

"And what was that?" Killian sighed. He had no way out of it now. He glanced up at her, drinking in her face one last time before he took the plunge. She was beautiful, and he would love her even after she had left him, even after he had confessed he cared. He would love her even after she took the heart he was handing to her and stomped it to the ground in rejection.

"Why, the Jolly Roger, of course." He finished with a smile, picking his head up to watch her reaction. He tried to write it off as a joke, refusing to let it show on his face how much it had hurt to lose his ship. He couldn't bear to lose her too, not after everything they had been through together.

The smile fell off her face.

It was over. Killian felt the weight settle in his chest, and waited for her inevitable escape from him.

"You…you traded your ship for me?" she whispered, her voice audibly breaking over the words. Her eyes were piercing, searching his, seeing through to his soul. _Perhaps hope wasn't lost after all._

"Aye."

It was only a single word, but it was all that was needed.

His heart beating out of his chest, on fire with joy, he watched as Emma leaned closer. He brought his hand up to her shoulder, guiding her in towards him. Her eyes met his one last time before their lips touched, tearing his world apart.

It was nothing like the kiss in Neverland, and it was nothing like the kiss beside the pool. Those had been passionate, desperate, "one time" things, and they had both known it.

This kiss was the beginning of something new, full of gentleness and hope and promises yet to be made. He had chosen her time and time again, and at last, when it mattered, she had chosen him.

Killian smiled against her lips, pulling her in closer. He caressed her neck, gently tangling his fingers in her hair, and his lips carried out the messages that his words could not. He told her with every movement how much she meant to him and how precious she was. He held her carefully, afraid to break her but even more afraid to let her slip through his fingers once again. She held him back, finally allowing herself to open up to him.

If this was what being a hero was like, he could certainly get used to it.

She wrapped her hand around his neck, leaning forward against his chest. Her fingers barely brushed the edge of his hair, and her delicate touch sent shivers up his spine. The lights shone above their heads as brightly as the stars in the sky, and the night was silent, as if they were in their own little bubble. All of his worries and fears were wiped away at the feeling of her lips on his own, at the sweet taste of her breath mingling with his own.

He snuck a peek through closed lids at Emma. In their journey to the past, she may have discovered where her home truly was – here in Storybrooke, surrounded by her friends and family.

But somewhere along the way, he had found his own home as well. He had found that one place he just couldn't stay away from, the one place that it hurt like hell to leave.

It was right here, in the arms of the woman he loved.


End file.
